Dead-end clamp



. Oct. 28,1947. W D R H I 2,429,705

' I DEAD-END- CLAMP Filed- Oct. 25, 1-943 23 I 5 V I4 l5 I I: 27 27 INVENTOR. GEORGE EARL WADSWORTH.

' tion of the clamp.

Patented Oct. 28, 1947 7 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE DEAD-END CLAMP 7 George Earl Wadsworth, Erlanger, Ky. Application October 125, 1943, Serial No. 507,654

The present invention relates to a dead-end clamp o similar device, the purpose of which is to hold and maintain a wire in a state of tension.

An object of the invention is to provide a deadend clamp or similar device, incorporating novel means for clamping a wire and holding it under or other expedient adapted for fiixation to a stud of an insulator, or to any other form of support tension without likelihood of the Wire to gradthe strength of the wire or expose it to premature deterioration by corrosive action.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clamp of the character stated, which isparticuarly adapted for holding in tension a stranded wire, or'one which might tendto cut itself in'two clue to overlapping of strands, one or more" of which might be of harder metal than the remaining strands of the' wire.

More specifically, it is an object of this inven tion to providea dead-end clamp with a liner or' sleeve of soft and permanently deformable material, possessing the characteristic'of deforming under pressure and conforming with the contour of a conductor or wire to be clamped.

Another object is to provide an improved clamp of the character referred to, including deformable sleeve or liner elements that may bereplaced to advantage in the event that a new grip be necessary upon an existent wire, or upon a replacement wire to be maintained in a state of tension. The foregoing and other object are attained by the means described herein and disclosed inthe accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a typical in stallation embodying the improved clamp of the invention. 7 Fig. 2 is a plan view of the elongatedbody por- Fig, 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a cap or clamping section applied to the body portion.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a liner orsleeve element embodied in the clamp of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form ofliner.

Dead-end clamps of one type or another have been in common usage for the purpose of holding and maintaining in a state of tension various typesof wires or conductors of electricity. In a typical installation, such clamps included an eye suitable for suspending a wire held by the clamp. The known forms of clamps that have been in common usage, were often found ineffective for maintaining a desired state of tension in the wire or conductor held thereby, failure having been due principally to a tendency of the wire or conductor to gradually recede from the clamp for want of adequate frictional contact between the clamp and the wire or conductor. On the other hand, clamps that were found capable of gripping a wire or conductor with sufiicient force, had a tendency to nick or abrade the outer surface of the wire, with the result of decreasing its tensile strength and increasing the liability of the wire to corrode at the point of abrasion. This objection became more pronounced and serious when such clamps were applied to steel or iron core wires having a coating or sleeve of copper welded or otherwise applied to the ferrous core, for the reason that exposure of the ferrous core resulting from nicking, cutting, or abrasion of the copper covering resulted in immediate exposure of the core to the atmosphere, and the setting up of a condition favorable to electrolytic action and corrosion of the wire within the confines of the clamp. This objection was particularly seriousin the application of clamp fixtures to stranded transmission wire of the type known as Copperweld, wherein at least one of the strands contained a core of ferrous metal, and was stranded or lapped over the remaining strands of solid copper wire. By improperly clamping wire of that character, or by clamping it too tightly, the harder strand containing the ferrous metal core would invariably cut into the solid copper strands and weaken them at the clamping location. Thus, although the major portion of the wire was sufficiently resistant to tensile strain, failure to withstand the strain would invariably occur at the clamping region where the strands were forced into cutting relationship with one another.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to eliminate all of the foregoing objections and to preserve the strength and the ability of the wire to withstand tensile strain along its entire length, including the portion thereof gripped by the clamp. Another important advantage of the present clamp is that it will tenaciously grip without nicking, cutting, or abrading any of the strands, and exposing the ferrous metal core to the corrosive action of weather and the other elements of nature.

3 With reference to the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates a dead-end pole 5 to which is suitably anchored an electric insulator 6 having a shank I to which the dead-end clamp 8 may be anchored for holding the wire or electric conductor 9 in a state of tension. The application of the insulator to a bolt In which passes through the pole, is common practice and may accordingly be illustrated merely as an example of anchoring. means for the; insulator. "If-he char: acter I2 indicates a guy-wire for'the pole.

Although the clamp of the invention may be applied to smooth wires or conductors, its greatest advantages are obtained in the clampingrof stranded wire as illustrated at 9. For the purpose of clarity of disclosure and understanding; itmay" be assumed that the wire isrnade upofseveral strands, one or more of which is a strength wire formed principally of steel or iron. .It-is this type of strength wire-that has been known to cntrthrcugh the-s ran i sol du o p r W e 0 I stltuting the: conductor. Althoughthig assumps tion-imay ,be--adopted in explaining the invention, it: should beclearly understopdt-hat the nature ofrtjhe wire or.- conductor toc be clampedis not-to constitute a restriction withregard t thecla np 8,3; which ,is the: real subject of the present invent-ion;

As illustrated by- Fig. 3, t -hec1EtI-I l. isbi-pa t construction; consisting of; an {elongatedbody portion; I13: and anelongated (gap or clamping section l i. The body-portion withoutthe, can is illustrated-by Fig. 2-, and willbeseen to consist of a casting or-forging of metah;preferably-brass; or bronza-gone end of whichv is; bifurcated toppresentv the perforated 1 lug-son eyes I which; are adapted toreceive a pinlor the like passing through the shanlr of the insulator, asjindicated atl-l fi f ll ig.

1..--At -its opposite; end, the bcdyportioniof the v clamp has flat faces H and !8, ;dispo sed in, a

common plane,- said; f;acesbeing.,separated throughout their lengthby alongitudinalchannel 53, the channelbeingropenended at the locations 2!}. andzl. At opposite sides-ofthe-channel the body portion may be provided with internally threaded. holes 2-2 for the reception of boltsfifiior other fasteners suitable for clamping the .cap; orclamping section Hi; onto the body p0rtion., It will be understood; thatthe cap \I4; is furnished with flat surfacescomp ementa y t0; t G' SHIf H and I 8 ofthe bodyportion, and separated;,,b y a channelvzfi which is complementary to the channel of-the body portion;;Fig-. 2. *ThQSGIiQ-SQfQhOltS zfiipass through: openings in. the cap andytheir threaded ends may engage the-threads z lwf the bo y iron n les- I s e d of i te na ythrea ing' the holes ithe.' -holes; may. ;be;made sum-- cientlyla-rge; o; loosely-1 receive the h a d en s oi thelbclts, which inhcae w uldsbe urn sh d: w th nutsscr w d: o to th ends i t =-be a the underside-of: the body.- portion of the; clamp.- 1 rAsil us-t at d: -y'Fi 5, t e channelr ffi may'i formed upon a; rib... 25 .extendii g: ,the full length of the cap, said rib being preferablyislightlyil arrower than the widthoi channel; Id, formed in t he body portion. The channel ofu ei i ,zand .;th channehof .thebody portion. are" shapedutoj receive; the.:deforrnable inserts OIE liner members 2i'l -and'i28, a: detail, of' which is illustrated- ,by:Fi.g; 4." These, inserts or, liners are formed Qisoftrand; permanently deformable.- materialtepreferably. a" metalxsuchpas lead,v Qr anallcy i-nclndir wleador other comparatively. malleable. metalx' Theathickness of; each inserton'liner is; such as-ito reduce the channel". diameter to :the: extent. of: intimately contacting a conductor or other wire to be clamped, when the clamp body and cap are assembled. As will be evident, the tightening of bolts 33 serves to contract the clamp upon a wire 5 or conductor resting between the half-cylindrical inserts or liners, the latter being adapted to yield in conformity with the contour of the wire or conductor and to receive an impression of any irregularity thereof such as may be present when the wire or conductor is of strandedior braided,material. As-the-strands or-braids :ofhthe. wire sink into and displace portions of the material constituting the inserts or liners, they become firmly .seated therein and strongly resist displacement or withdrawal incident to tension applied to the wire ,oncconductor; Under exhaustive tests, wires or conductors held by the clamping device of the 'invention have beenstretched to the breaking point-without disassociation of the clamped ends from the clamps. Tests have proven also that stranded wires or. conductors. anchoredby means -th .im mvedslamn. tsubiec to crush vin erring with n h l m n e i t. o tendency fono ne, strand to cut into another alhou t e. trands m yh m diff r t ardn characteristics While. it, is. considered, preferable to ,fabricate hei serts Qrim -iromlced or. an a l y here f, the material of which they are constructed may ry a ons. it-ppssesses, .thenecessary characc is i s rmab it u r pr ssu e. andv t nec ssa fric ional hold n newer. M It s .9 cei ab that a mnrm tam s bs a cem P ess. th necessa haracter s i s eiIso that it .w l .ccni r with o e ei ev im re sions f th contour of' a conductor or wire to be clarnped, whileat. the same. time. fr t cn y re ain n it sainstsl ppase r ative q he. clamp.

t. ma h be, noted th t appl a ion f t 40. qlarnpinade i e o a; e-. cond ct r. m b efie ted withq t. mqving thena 1 T in e the. Wire or conductor, it y is. necessary only that the bolts be loosened sufliciently to. permit receptioniof the. wire orconductor, within the space between the; bare channelsv of the clamp, after which the inserts or .linersmay, be slipped endwise along, the wire and. into. the forwardend, of the.

within thechann-els l3 1and;.25 ;:whichchannels preferably are. permitted-tot remain unfinished or rough, as the clamp parts ,are taken from the mold In, other words, it; is ne-ither necessary nor desirable to machine the channels or anyether a s o t e e mp-, a e eve that sli pa e-10 the wire or conductor may be expected due to its ccnto rt e nat e o i scon tuents a l-li el d-o -s iepase m y e'avoidedbyapp i a er s arsuiteh e fri t na ;subs marore enab a .Q. is: she lecan r memz n com na i n: lin en o dina yc irc m t n e h we the frictional holding power of the liners or int z onstructed 0i: le ds all ysincl d le is; ample ndz will hold;the, wire or conductor -.in nnsisition; itog orsicnal forces. sale e ofstretchinssthe wire' 0.1": conductonto the. breaking. point.

e linear or.insert;lizalillustratedzby Fig.6 may item; allz respects similarsto ,the. .li-ner..assembly previously described, except for the fact that it is of one-piece construction rather than of bi-part construction. As shown, the modified liner comprises merely a split tube that may receive the conductor, whereupon the clamp body may be contracted thereon to grip the conductor as previously explained. The same kinds of material suitable for fabricating the one form of liner, are suitable also for the other form.

The character 28| indicates a, longitudinal strengthening rib that extends along the length of the body section l3 beneath its channel l9, said rib performing the same strengthening function as the concave rib 26 formed on the upper section 01' cap of the clamp.

As illustrated by Fig. 1, the terminal end of the wire or conductor may extend from the rear of the clamp, if desired, inasmuch as the channels and the inserts or liners are open at their opposite ends. If desired, the channels may be knurled or otherwise suitably roughened to increase frictional contact of the insert or liner means therein.

What is claimed is:

A clamp of the character described, comprising in combination, a rigid elongated clamp body having opposite ends, one of Which ends is bifurcated and apertured to provide a pair of spaced parallel perforated lugs, the perforations of which are transverse to the length of the clamp body, and aligned with one another, the space between the lugs terminating in a crotch at said one end of the clamp body, said clamp body having a pair of flat coplanar faces extending from the crotch at the one end of the body to the opposite end thereof, said faces each being formed with .an elongated channel extending likewise from the crotch to said opposite end, an elongated cap to overlie the channel and the coplanar faces of the clamp body, said cap including a central longitudinally channeled rib and a pair of coplanar fiat faces coextensively bounding the length of said rib, the rib of the cap being narrower than the Width of the channel of the clamp body, and means for clamping the cap onto the body to force the cap rib toward entry into the body channel to an extent limited by abutment of the coplanar flat faces of the cap and body upon one another.

GEORGE EARL' WADSWORTI-I.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Great Britain June 22, 1931 

